What have you seen
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Moved campsite today and just been for a stroll along the cycle path that runs beside the site. On leaving the site we found a Long Eared Owl chick sitting in a tree making its plaintive cry every 5 seconds for food, which mum or dad might find nearby as we also saw a Water Vole dash across the path into the water filled ditch.
There haven't been many Nightingales on this trip but we've just heard 2 on the perimeter. Might be hard to get to sleep tonight especially if the frogs join in.
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OH found a tiny young Natterjack toad today so placed it in a more suitable area than our greenhouse (where toads like to reside due to the damp floor but it's not very safe for them in there with constant movement of "stuff" going on.
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Campingplatz Ankergrund in Volkach, near Wurzburg, on the River Main.
Went for a walk today and we earned our rewards the hard way. Started off early to avoid the hottest part of the day but it was still 27° when we got back to the car.
Nevertheless we had an excellent time walking on farm tracks through Wheat and Barley fields to a squarish wood. Saw Male and female Hen Harriers, Bluethroat, Golden Oriole flying in semi circle around us (sorry Oneputt), Turtle Dove, Hawfinches, Short Toed Treecreeper, Nightingales and loads of Skylarks and Yellow Wagtails.
Had a visit this morning before setting off, from a friendly Black Redstart chick. Cute as buttons.
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Turtle Dove day today. Saw about 6 of these lovely birds, two of them close up. Also Black Kite, Wryneck, Great Reed Warblers and some cute Chiffchaff chicks among many others.
Last night we found 2 more Long Eared Owl chicks, so that's all 3 that we've seen, all in different trees.
A Black Woodpecker flew past the caravan whilst we were having a drink yesterday.
We also saw a Painted Lady but not many other butterflies yet loads of Dragon and Damseflies, including a bright cherry red one, unidentified by us as yet.
Not many unusual flowers but Mrs Wn pointed out some Solomons Caps in the woods today.
Lovely morning.
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Took this Dragon Fly picture in Germany and believe its a Ruddy Chaser
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Made it back safely from our three week trip up the east coast from Suffolk to Yorkshire.
The first week we spent mainly walking around Minsmere, the highlight being a late evening sighting of a large male Bittern emerging from the reeds followed by two females, no need to guess why the males feathers were stood on end.
The very feisty Black Headed Gulls spent a great deal of time fending off the Lesser Black Backed Gulls who had a sneaky system, one would fly in low and attract the birds attention while the second would swoop in behind the commotion to snatch a chick. The Common Tern was a superb sight diving down to catch fish.
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Week two took us to Norfolk and trips to Titchwell, Lakenheath, Hickling Broad and Strumpshaw where we saw our first Swallowtail Butterflies.
Lakenheath offered us our first glimpse of the Honey Buzzard before it was seen of by the Crows.
Titchwell was somewhat short on different birdlife, so I turned the lens towards the insect life, finding a Common Darter dragonfly and this spider hiding away in its funnel shaped nest ( sorry can't identify, it may be the obvious but not sure )
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Week three on to Yorkshire and the anticipated sight of thousands of birds flowing along the cliff edge at Bempton. The weather seems to have had a bit of an effect as there were fewer than we expected at the start of the week but numbers grew day by day.
All the usual suspects were present pics show Guillimot 4 year old Gannet, the beautiful Kittiwake, Effortless gliding of the Fulmar and the star of any show the wonderful little Puffin.
Only back yesterday but pining already
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After four lovely hours of meandering, it was back at reception we saw one stationary enough to photograph.
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Thanks BM, haven't got much to contribute just now but enjoying all the new pics.
Plenty of insects around for the bats in our garden, I can stand outside in the twilight and the bats fly close to me, can actually hear them whirring past.
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Superb photos BM really enjoy seeing them.
Just had a few days at a friends house down here in the Lot doing a bit of DIY, had scarce swallowtails,marbled white 1st this year, pearly heath, southern white admiral plus many blues, birds common buzzard about 30 feet from us going over the valley next to our friends house, kestrel, black kite, peregrine falcon at speed wow, heard the nightjar last night also pleny of moths some I had not seen before but there is a problem with the box plants either blight or box moth caterpillars and now have hatched out into moths hundreds of them they look quite a marked moth but it is the caterpillars that do the damage, yes brue we had bats flying around last night trying to catch these moths.
Off to near the Brenne next week for 10 nights so will check that area for unusual birds must take camera.
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OP
No need to go to Strumpshaw, this little beauty turned up in ditch by boatyard....sat there for 15 minutes until I had had enough. 2.5 metres away.....camera still not right, probably taking it to Canon in Colchester.
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Picture doesn’t look too bad GL. Just looked at the camera clinic page of the Canon Colchester repair place and I was really surprised at the number of people who had power problems, seems like it’s not an uncommon problem. I like the idea of the focus check.
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For the money, they strip...clean....check components....recalibrate and give 6 months warranty.
The bind is going back to Colchester, having been there yesterday.
The vole pic is nearly there, which is more than can be said for the other hundred or so. The Cuckoo that sat before me should have been pin sharp....but oh so soft. You don't have that many chances to have a perfect sitter.
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Hi GL
We seem to have the same issues although my kit has been back to Canon a few times, no improvement on the focusing front. When in focus they are very sharp but nowhere near often enough. I would be very interested in the outcome, both what Canon say and how you find the camera after investigation. I spent a couple of hours with our local Peregrines yesterday and most of the time the camera failed to focus at all on the bird and not one sharp one to show.
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Most likely an escapee.
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Could be one of these which have been introduced into the UK
https://www.froglife.org/info-advice/amphibians-and-reptiles/green-lizard/
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BM
120 mile round trip and camera is in for repair/service.
Very helpful chap listened and although he thought my vole shots were sharp, I disagreed. So....he is going to strip/clean/check all of the internal screws ect. Replace the USM motor in the lens, the locking friction strip and check out the camera....there is an internal measurement that needs to be checked (free).
He gave me some tips for better performance, which I will try out once I get it back.
He gave me confidence that he knows what he is talking about,
We will see.
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Fingers crossed GL. Took out my old 1D for a comparison today. only 10mp but hoping focus is better.
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